15 Bento Lunch Box Containers and Accessories

You've seen our 20 cute bento box lunch ideas—but what exactly are bentos? Basically, they're inspiration for a fun twist on a homemade lunch—cut a sandwich into a circle, add crusts for ears, carrot bits for a face and—presto, bento! Kids love to eat the fun designs, and you can add tons of fruit and veggies to make them colorful (and healthy). Plus, a bento is meant to hold all parts of a meal—perfect for smaller kid portions. Get into the whole bento experience with these cute containers, helpful accessories and more.

Small Bites
Artfully arrange meatballs, mashed potatoes, spaghetti or fruit and veggies with dip in these colorful (and reusable) silicone cups, which can be used to bake cupcakes too. They come in handy for the Lion, Caterpillar and Tic-Tac-Toe bento box lunches.

Work of Art
For at-home lunches, turn them into a masterpiece with this Palette Plate. The multicolored paint cups are removable, microwave-safe and come with lids for storage. Plus: the BPA- , PVC- and phthalate-free set has a skid-resistant base and comes with a kid-sized knife and fork set.

Tiffin Tin
Not all lunchboxes are boxy. Try this tiffin-style container: stack the circular, dishwasher-safe compartments—they double as bowls—and secure with the latch for easy toting. We love the cheerful orange and pink color combo, but it's also available in light green and blue.

chasing-fireflies.com

Stick It
You won't need to buy sandwich baggies with this eco-friendly lunch kit. The Smart Little Lunch box has five compartments to keep each item sealed and organized, and is super easy to clean (and dishwasher safe!). The pack includes a matching drink bottle and 275 fun stickers kids can use to customize their lunch pack.

A Cut Above
Pack this fork, spoon and chopstick set with your kid's lunch in place of flimsy, disposable plastic ware. The wide, flat handles are good for small hands, plus kids can practice their chopstick skills. All three utensils are stored in an adorable container to boot.

Panda Pal
This too-cute bento box is worth ditching the plain ol' brown bag (and the elastic band gives the panda face eyebrows!). The two-tier shape is perfect for a sandwich in one half, with sides in the other—try it with our Panda bento lunch box.

Sectionals
Already have a cute lunch or bento box for your kid? Ditch the plastic baggies for these PVC-, BPA- and lead-free containers. The set of 4 comes with different sizes for main meal, side and dip cup portions and has a graphic on the lid of what goes in which container.

Baby Bento
Bentos are great for school lunches, but you can start the concept with babies and toddlers, too. Try this no-slip bottom Beaba Lunch Box, which comes with a stackable plate and double-compartment dish, plus a lid to snap it all together and keep the fork and spoon in place. Bonus: The whole set is BPA-, phthalate- and PVC-free and dishwasher/microwave safe.

Short Cut
No need for fancy knife skills when making a bento lunch box; using a cookie cutter, like one of these animal-shaped ones, will help you create quick, perfect shapes every time. Plus: they're BPA-, phthalate- and lead-free and can be tossed in the dishwasher.

www.mysweetmuffin.com

Top Tier
Pack a full-size bento lunch in this 2-tier, stackable container (perfect for the Caterpillar bento lunch box!). The main compartment comes with a divider to keep foods separate, and is topped with a whimsical design of fall foliage. The leafy motif continues with tree latch that snaps the box shut.

Seal it Up
Is your kid an aquarium fiend? He'll love the seal and fish design on this two-tiered bento box. The dishwasher and microwave-safe stackable sections come with a separator, and a blue elastic band to keep it all together.

Slim Fit
This lunchbox is for the kid who likes variety at mealtime. It holds 5 stackable, clear plastic containers and its 3-inch width lets it easily slide into your kid's backpack and cubby. There's not room for an ice pack or a sandwich, but everything is BPA-free and dishwasher-safe—plus you can slip a drink bottle in the fabric handle.

www.lunchville.com

Bento for Beginners
This set from Laptop Lunches has everything you need to get started with bento lunches: a big blue bento with five inner containers, a lunch tote and stainless steel fork and spoon. Ready, set, make!